This invention relates to improvements in and to climbing nets and relates more particularly to improvements with regard to the texture of cordage used in such nets and improvements to climbing net construction thereby avoiding problems heretofor known with conventional climbing net designs.
Climbing nets have been used for recreational and utilitarian purposes for many years. In such conventional construction, rope or cordage is used and is connected at nodes to create a lattice of vertically extending rails and horizontally extending rungs which create the netting. In such conventional net constructions, the lattice is defined by nodes of connected vertical and horizontal lengths of cord which become laterally unstable when a downward force is applied to individual rungs, as opposed to causing the line of action to be contained substantially in a vertical line.
Also, in previous types of cordage used in nets, polymers made up of monofilaments have been widely used. These monofilaments which when exposed to UV light, often become brittle and sever causing barb-like projections to extend transversely from the rope. Needless to say, such projections present a hazard, for example, to children in the case where the net is used for recreational purposes. Even if the rope material is not polymer based, i.e., formed from hemp or any other naturally occurring material, these natural strands tend to themselves be abrasive and thus are not desirable stock materials for use in an environment where gripping and sliding of exposed surfaces of skin will occur.
Also, it has been found in applications, such as in playgrounds and other such recreational environments, that hanging cargo nets from a suspended frame provides an attractive exercise device for children of all ages. Further, it is desirable to color the net and each cord thereof to a specific color scheme of the playground in order to coordinate the net coloring with the overall color theme of the playground structure. As such, the need to provide a color-fast netting, i.e. one in which color does not fade or abrade away from the material, is thus apparent.
An object of the invention is thus to provide a net lattice of the type wherein the lattice is constructed of lengths of cord which create a laterally and vertically stable net lattice structure.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a climbing net formed from a material which is non-abrasive and is suitable for touching and climbing by, for example, children.
The invention resides in one of its aspects in a net and a related method of making same of the type having horizontally disposed rungs and vertically disposed rails comprises a border enclosing an area defined by first, second, third and fourth corners to create an enclosure in which the rungs and rails are contained. A first border section is provided and extends between said first and second corners, a second border section is provided and extends lengthwise between the second and third corners, a third border section is provided and extends between the third and fourth corners and a fourth border section is provided and extends lengthwise between the fourth and first corners.
A plurality of weft members are provided and are connected in a row in spaced relationship to one another along one of the first, second, third and fourth length portions of the border. A plurality of warp members are provided and are connected in a row in spaced relationship to one another along another of the first, second, third and fourth length portions of the border which is orthogonally disposed relative to said one of said first, second, third and fourth length portions of said border. The weft and the warp members together create horizontally extending rungs and vertically extending rails by the interconnection of weft and weft members, warp and warp members and weft and warp members such that each weft and each warp member makes up at least one rung and one rail of the net.
The invention further resides in a nonabrasive netting material for climbing nets comprised of elongate multifilaments consisting essentially of polypropylene or propylene ethylene copolymer.